Tag Archives: celebrity marketing

When looking to strike a chord with millennials and Generation Z, six-second advertisements lead the way.

A new form of video storytelling has hit the market. With lower attention spans and increased usage of mobile devices across multiple generations, six-seconds advertisements are the solution.

As brands and agencies prepare for this new era, these six-second video advertisements convey simple messages making immediate connections with viewers. There is a niche gap in the market for six-second media engagements and brands have begun to fill that void.

Although these advertisements were first introduced by YouTube as, “bumper ads,” several corporations have joined the movement utilizing the format. Fox began pushing out six-second advertisements during live sporting events, announcing that they will air nine of these short spots during its Thanksgiving Day NFL game. Prior to this announcement, Fox had been running six-second commercials in NFL games and the World Series. Similarly, AMC has decided to run six-second commercials during this season of the series, The Walking Dead. Facebook has also followed suit, announcing intentions to revamp six-second advertisements on its platform.

Even Twitter wants to join the six-second ad craze. In an effort to produce these short spots, they created, #Fuel. This new service is designed to help advertisers create content specifically for the platform as well as edit videos to conform to the six-second trend.

While six-second advertisements are a fairly new format, they have certainly left an impression already. According to a Google-led study, nine out of 10 six-second advertisements drove recall and 61 percent increased brand awareness.

Viewers want entertainment, innovation and disruption, and six-second spots seamlessly fit the mold. While advertisers continuously look to improve the viewing experience, adding celebrity features as another layer to the mix could be just what they need.

While six-second spots are defining digital presence, celebrities and influencers have already marked their territory in the digital sphere. Because celebrity marketing dominates digital, this “snackable content” elicits a new opportunity for brands to enhance this innovative format. Shorter advertisements certainly engage viewers, but celebrities have the potential to make these spots unforgettable. The combination of powerful celebrity marketing and the allure of six-second advertisements can lead to competitive advantages.

Getting right to the point, six-second advertisements keep viewers tuned in, especially millennials and Generation Z consumers with shorter attention spans. These short spots have the potential to command the digital sphere and further evolve with the inclusion of celebrities and influencers.

Artificial intelligence are two words that have become common place in this newfound digital world. It is a form of reasoning and problem solving that allows computers and machines to function and guide intelligently. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, voice-based devices have erupted onto the scene, leaving a lasting impact on the advertising industry.

With the introduction of voice search, consumers are more likely to speak into voice-based devices than enter a typed request. According to MarketingProfs, approximately 55 percent of teenagers and 41 percent of adults use voice search at least once a day.

In one year alone, sales of voice-based devices have quadrupled, from just 6.5 million devices sold in 2016 to more than 24.5 million in 2017. As consumers become more comfortable with voice-assistant technology, brands are forced to adapt to an environment of minimal control.

Brands must convey their messages in an almost subliminal manner accounting for consumers’ time, location and circumstance while retaining the value of the message. Keyword search is changing too, and as a result, SEO needs to take a more conversational approach, forcing brands to create new, engaging content to reach their audiences.

While creating new content in an ever-changing digital world may seem intimidating, there are several opportunities for advertisers with voice-based devices, including partnering with a celebrity.

Voice-assistant technology exposes a new form of “always-on” interaction between consumers and brands. It forms an instant, open dialogue, creating a conversational user experience.

Although there are a few voice assistants that dominate the market, like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant, the barriers to entry are low, allowing brands both large and small to enter the voice technology space.

As voice technology grows globally, brands have the opportunity to monetize their audiences through “voice-native” ad experiences.

Importantly, millennials are driving the market for voice-based assistants. With millennials at the helm of voice technology, brands are able to target this large group of consumers by utilizing artificial intelligence marketing.

Voice technology can also be heightened by the power of celebrity. By partnering with a celebrity while also using voice-based devices, brands attract more consumers and develop a stronger relationship with their audience.

For example, Oprah became the first celebrity voice featured on Amazon’s Alexa, promoting the Favorite Things storefront on Amazon. While her voice is not a permanent feature, her audible presence helps draw attention to voice-based devices and the potential the technology holds for brands. The familiarity of a celebrity voice like Oprah is comforting and encouraging.

Screen browsing could soon become a thing of the past. Voice technology is game-changing technology with the potential to flip the digital world upside down. Brands who learn to adapt beyond the screen and into a world of voice-dominated advertising will settle market share and competitive advantage.

Brands work tirelessly to create strong emotional and truthful connections with their audience. Because consumers connect well with celebrities on an emotional level, brands should select celebrities who carry a recognizable, authentic and credible demeanor.

As social media continues to become a window into the lives of celebrities, brands must work diligently to ensure that their celebrity partner promotes the same authenticity as the brand. Consumers frequently hold the expectation that brands will do more than simply sell a product, but rather work hard to create a trusting atmosphere.

To establish that trusting atmosphere, brands should partner with the right celebrities who can help promote products in the most natural and truthful way.

For instance, blatant and obvious brand advertisements posted on celebrities’ social media accounts do not create strong emotional ties. Consumers see right through these branded endorsements and keep scrolling. However, celebrity postings that integrate a brand’s product organically and convincingly will catch consumers’ attention.

For example, professional basketball player, Kevin Durant, built his relationship with Sparkling Ice on authenticity. Durant, a real life consumer of the zero-calorie carbonated water, was interested in a partnership with the company. As soon as Sparkling Ice caught wind of the Durant’s inquiry, they knew their sponsorship relationship would be a success because their bond was built on genuine, demonstrated interest.

Celebrity and influencer marketing has been rated as the fastest-growing way to grab online customers. Despite this success, marketers need to continually ask questions as the consumer landscape evolves.

What does our consumer base care about? How should we align the brand with those causes? What channels will have the strongest influence?

Although the answers to these three questions are not the same, all three answers address the same topic of authenticity. As brands have the opportunity to connect with consumers, they need to invest in the celebrity who best matches their beliefs as well as their audience.

In adopting the use of celebrity marketing, authenticity and transparency are critical. As information is more readily available in today’s social media landscape, consumers are not afraid to look beneath the surface and confirm that brands are using celebrities with credibility.

Nothing sells like a celebrity, especially when trying to bring older brands back to the forefront.

Brands leave long lasting impressions and establish strong bonds with consumers. In an ever-changing world, brands come and go, leaving consumers without their favorite go-to items. In order to bring a brand back to life, celebrity marketing builds awareness quickly, helps take market share from competitors and creates a strong emotional connection to buy.

Celebrities have long served as the public face of brands, but now they are being tapped to help brands return to the limelight. In addition to serving as a trusted trendsetter, celebrities serve as human billboards.

The popularity of classic brands can be traced back to various celebrities. Whether celebrities are endorsing a product, sporting the merchandise or even creating alliances, classic brands can meet or exceed previous success using celebrities to communicate their message.

For example, Reebok partnered with top fashion model, Gigi Hadid, in an effort to gain more popularity. Although the brand has been in existence for years, using celebrity marketing is the best method to invest in the brand’s existence for the years to come.

Similarly, Coach made a comeback using celebrity marketing. Despite being a top-seller in the 1990s, the logo-heavy leather goods fell out of the mainstream. In order to reemerge in the accessories industry, they used singing sensation, Selena Gomez. As the new face of Coach, Gomez has helped to create playful and eclectic designs that are a must-have for all young millennial girls, breathing new life into the brand.

While celebrity marketing is one of the most effective and successful ways to reintroduce a brand, it is not the only way.

Brands can make a comeback appealing to both old and new customers by tapping into nostalgia, completely overhauling and rebooting the brand, and utilizing social media as well as other digital channels.

As brand marketing continues to adapt and evolve, classic brands have managed to stay popular by using celebrity marketing. These classic brands remain successful because they have picked up on the one thing many disregard. That is, consumers strive for things they cannot have, and thus as an alternative, they choose to live vicariously through the products in connection with celebrities.

So, if you are the next brand thinking about making a bold comeback, who better to help market your product than a trusted, popular and admired celebrity. With their large following and strong influence, there is no denying that their help can restore your brand to what it once was.

Social and digital platforms are increasing in popularity, yet TV, radio and print are still home to some of the most dynamic celebrity marketing campaigns.

While many brands are upping their digital ad spend and taking advantage of the data and analytic tools social media channels are debuting, many brands are still investing deeply in traditional platforms.

These traditional platforms have advantages of their own and remain a powerhouse destination for marketing campaigns. As the use of new media continues to proliferate, traditional media is, at the least, an important supplemental piece to most campaigns.

Here are some of the benefits of using each form of traditional media and some successful celebrity marketing campaigns executed across them.

Radio

Radio and voiceover ads are more cost efficient than ads that run in other media without sacrificing a large reach. Statista found in spring 2016, 54.1% of Americans ages 18-64 listened to the radio each day. This put radio at third on the list of media with the most daily users, behind TV and email.

Buffalo Wild Wings used actor John Goodman, best known for his role in the 1990’s TV show “Roseanne,” to voice radio ads. The brand also released a TV commercial version of the ad, allowing for greater coverage and more recognition across two outlets.

By using a recognizable and strong sounding celebrity voice, Buffalo Wild Wings was able to grab the attention of listeners in key regions they wanted to target.

Print

According to The Association of Magazine Media (MPA), a study by Nielsen Catalina Solutions

showed magazines had the highest average return on advertising spend when compared to display, cross media, linear TV, mobile and digital video.

Aveeno, the skincare brand, has a long running partnership with actress Jennifer Aniston. They have run a variety of different print ads featuring Jennifer in several different publications. Since 2012, the ads have appeared in People, InStyle, Marie Claire, Allure and Elle.

The brand used the medium successfully by executing a long term campaign with different creative across magazines with different readerships.

TV

TV persists as the media platform with the largest daily reach. According to Statista, in spring 2016, 75.5% of US population was exposed to broadcast/cable TV each day.

Pizza Hut partnered with “Saturday Night Live” star, Kristen Wiig for a campaign promoting their brand image as the company that delivers the pizza consumers want, fast.

In the ad, Kristen portrays multiple different Americans all with the same desire of what Pizza Hut can provide. The brand was able to cleverly mimic the diversity of the audience of the medium within the ad, making it relatable to many different consumers who are exposed to it.

The campaign includes a 30 and a 60-second spot supplemented with a radio spot, digital efforts and social media posts, making for a strong 360 campaign.

The connection fans feel to celebrities is intensified when they speak about medical causes or products.

Medical issues are generally very personal and intimate. When a celebrity makes a move to promote a medical product or cause, they show their fans a level of trust and openness that fans often look for but do not always get.

Fans feel closer to the celebrity for sharing the news and have a higher respect for them and for the cause or product they are endorsing in light of it.

Fans that are affected by the same condition feel a special connection to the celebrity and have even more allegiance to what they have to say on the topic.

For these reasons, celebrity marketing in the healthcare industry is extremely successful and useful. Here are some of the most impactful uses of celebrity marketing in healthcare.

Abbvie, a biopharmaceutical company, partnered with Julianne Hough, an actress and professional dancer best known for her role on “Dancing with the Stars.”

In 2008 she revealed she has a medical condition called Endometriosis. The disease is estimated to affect 1 in 10 women but isn’t well known or easily diagnosable.

In March 2017, Abbvie announced its partnership with Julianne in their campaign titled “Get in the Know about ME in EndoMEtriosis.” The goal is to educate women on recognizing symptoms of the disease and provide women who have the disease an opportunity to talk about their experiences.

Abbvie made a power move by enlisting an admired celebrity to bring attention to a cause that affects such a large segment of the population.

In addition to using celebrities to promote general health causes, brands can also partner with celebrities to promote specific products. This approach has high potential, as long as brands are careful to follow all regulations to avoid legal trouble

The brand aired a 30 second TV commercial during Super Bowl 50 with a comedic tone starring the three athletes.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals matched their use of celebrities with the right platform and audience. By airing the ad during the Super Bowl they were able to reach many potential consumers, and by using celebrities that made sense in that context, they were able to make a purposeful connection.

Tecfidera is a prescription medication produced by biotechnology brand Biogen, used to treat the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis. The brand partnered with Jamie-Lynn Sigler to promote the product.

The actress, best known for her role on “The Sopranos,” revealed in early 2016 that she has Multiple Sclerosis. Shortly afterward the “Reimage MySelf” campaign debuted.

The campaign touted Jamie-Lynn as a former Tecfidera patient and included a website with written pieces of her stories dealing with the disease.

The brand won a second place award at the 2017 Direct to Consumer National Advertising Awards in the category of Best Use of Celebrity in Campaign/PSA. Their effective use of a celebrity allowed them to garner support from other MS patients and increase awareness and usage of their product.

Brands with a bottom line goal of converting social media users into customers, shoppable ads with influencers and celebrities are a great option.

Combining the effectiveness of celebrity marketing with the quick and easy conversion allowed by shoppable ads creates a dynamic marketing opportunity for brands.

By reducing the amount of steps consumers need to take to buy a product featured in a post with their favorite celebrity or influencer, brands are seeing increased sales and using the tactic more frequently.

Shoppable influencer ads are not only leading to higher conversion rates, they are also giving brand marketers a clearer way to measure return on investment (ROI). They can determine what ads are performing the best and how well they are performing.

Links on social posts across the major platforms enable tracking sales from social media efforts. Purchases made can be traced back to the source to determine how many sales can be attributed to the ad.

Here are a few brands leading the way in shoppable influencer ads:

The clothing brand Loft partnered with actress Busy Philipps to produce a shoppable video ad campaign on Instagram. The campaign included a series of longer videos cut down into several clips and posted on the brand’s account.

Using the Like2Buy platform, consumers were able to view the ad and then use the link to visit the brand’s ecommerce site and see the items Busy had picked as her favorites.

Celebrity and Influencer ads on Snapchat are being revived since the platform recently debuted the ability for brands to link right to their websites.

Teva Women’s Health partnered with actress Sophia Bush to work on a campaign generating awareness about alternative birth control options. The #NoHormonesPLZ campaign included a ten second Snapchat video ad with Sophia instructing viewers to swipe up to learn more.

Users were able to go to the website for the campaign and sign up to enter the sweepstakes right through Snapchat.

The organization was able to get more entries by making the link closer to consumers and requiring less action to participate.

MikMak is a company that creates, measures and distributes shoppable ads on behalf of brands. Through their attach feature, brands are able to attach links to their ecommerce sites within their Snapchat ads or Instagram Stories.

Several brands began testing out the beta version of the service in spring 2017. GoPro, Birchbox and Dr. Brandt skincare are among those who have encountered success with the feature.

Birchbox created a series of shoppable video ads for their Mother’s Day campaign. Dr. Brandt Skincare saw a huge ROI, with a 500 percent increase in sales from Instagram for facemasks over a span of 10 days.

Seeing as all of these brands have used influencer marketing in the past, it will be important to keep an eye out for how they capitalize on the early adoption of tools like these to combine celebrity marketing with shoppable ads.

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I'm Bob Williams, CEO| Speaker | Author of The Brand Agent

The Brand Agent provides resources on how to build brands through celebrities, music and sports.

Celebrity marketing requires special knowledge and skills. My articles are intended to help save you time, money and frustration.

Over my career, I have led in negotiating thousands of celebrity contracts and helped match small and large brands with the right celebrity. I’m glad to share my celebrity marketing expertise with you.